Mississippi lawmakers kick off 2013 session Tuesday

Several issues up for debate

Mississippi lawmakers gavel into session at noon Tuesday with a broad range of issues to debate during the next three months.

They'll consider allowing widespread development of charter schools, which would be free of some state regulations.

They'll examine ways to improve children's reading skills in the early elementary grades.

They could argue about expanding Medicaid, but that will face tough scrutiny. Gov. Phil Bryant and other Republican leaders said the state can't afford to put hundreds of thousands more people on the government insurance program. But, health advocates said expansion could pump big money into the state economy.

This is the second year of state officials' four-year term.

Legislators face an early April deadline to finish a state budget for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1.

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